A Government-appointed appeals panel has asked the aviation regulator to review its decision last year not to include staff pension costs in determining the maximum level of aviation terminal service charges the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) can levy on airlines from 2012 to 2015.
However, it rejected the IAA's appeals on three other grounds: the overall quality of service metric; equipment failure; and air traffic control strike action.
The Commission for Aviation Regulation made its determination on the maximum charges the IAA could impose in October 2011. The IAA was unhappy with the determination and lodged an appeal.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar established a three-person Aviation Appeals Panel on August 27th to consider the matter.
On the pensions issue, the IAA had sought a "pass through" into its cost base of the total funding requirement of its pension scheme from 2012 to 2015. It is seeking to return the scheme to surplus.
